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Constructive  Principles 

The  Bahai  Movement 

A  summary  of 

the  history,  object  and  institutions  of 

the  Bahai  Religious  Teachings 


BY 

CHARLES  MASON  REMEY      , 
1917         H 


/?v^ 


Copyright.  1917 
By  Chaxlbs  Mason  Rbmby 


Price,  -  -  $0.40  net 

Postage,        -  $0.10  additional 

This  book  and  all  other  publications  pertaining 

to  the  Bahai  Movement,  can  be  had 

by  applying  to 


The  Bahai  Pubi^ishing  Society 

P.  O.  Box  283 

Chicago,        -       Ili^inois 


;,  Printed  by 

*«J.  D.  MiLAirs  A  SoK8 
.     W»shin|rt04,  D.  C, 


CONTENTS 


I.     Foreword 5 

II.     Religion  Needed 9 

III.  The  Bahai  Movement  -         -         -         -  15 

IV.  Basic  Spiritual  Truths  -         -         -         -  25 
V.  Religion — the  Foundation  of  Civilization      -  31 

VI.  The  Oneness  of  Humanity             -         -         -  37 

VII.  The  Great  Divine  Teacher,  and  the  New  Age  45 

VIII.  The  Mashrak-El-Azkar         -         -         -         -  53 

IX.     Afterword              59 


371944 


NOTE 


IN  conformity  with  Abdul  Baha's  instructions,  and  ac- 
*  cording  to  prevailing  custom  among  the  Bahais  regard- 
ing publications,  to  insure  accuracy  of  statement  and  to 
obtain  a  spiritual  interpretation  in  harmony  with  that  of 
the  Cause,  this  article  was  reviewed  and  authorized  by  the 
Bahai  Publicity  Committee,  appointed  by  the  Executive 
Board  of  the  Bahai  Temple  Unity  entrusted  with  the  affairs 
of  the  Unity  of  the  current  year,  in  the  annual  convention 
of  Bahais,  held  at  Chicago,  April  29th— May  2nd,  1916. 

C.  M.  R. 
October  9,  1916. 


ABDUL.     BAHA 

From  the  portrait  by  Juliet  Thompson 


I. 

FOREWORD 


FOREWORD. 

Special  unrest  and  change  of  thought  have  been  pecu- 
liar to  the  religious  world  of  these  latter  years,  and  many 
people  now  look  beyond  the  man-made  barriers  of  sect 
and  creed  to  seek  along  universal  channels  of  divine 
knowledge  for  that  moral  and  spiritual  assurance  and 
poise  which  every  soul  craves  and  which  truth  gives. 

This  seeking  and  running  to  and  fro  in  quest  of  truth, 
is  bringing  many  sincere  men  and  women  to  inquire  into 
the  principles  and  the  objects  of  the  Bahai  Movement 
that  is  daily  more  recognized  and  known  throughout  the 
realm  of  religion  and  philosophy  as  the  great  spiritual 
teaching  in  which  all  religious  faiths  have  a  common 
ground,  a  basis  upon  which  to  unite,  in  those  matters  that 
are  essential  and  needful  in  producing  religious  harmony 
among  men,  as  well  as  in  bettering  their  temporal  condi- 
tion. 

The  hope  of  the  writer  in  preparing  this  small  volume 
is  to  place  a  brief  and  concise  statement  within  the  hands 
of  the  many  who  wish  to  understand  the  Bahai  Move- 
ment, and  to  know  what  it  offers  to  humanity. 


II. 

RELIGION  NEEDED 


RELIGION  NEEDED. 

It  is  open  to  but  little  question,  and  now  generally  ad- 
mitted, that  there  is  something  radically  wrong  or  lack- 
ing, in  the  religious  world. 

The  great  test,  "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them," 
has  quite  demonstrated  to  the  thinking  world  during  the 
past  two  or  three  years  of  carnage  and  bloodshed,  that 
humanity  has  been  deceiving  itself  in  believing  that  its 
conception  of  religion  was  the  potent  factor  for  peace 
and  righteousness  its  expounders  purported  it  to  be. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  from  the  world  of  con- 
ventional religious  thought  the  vital  spirit  of  the  true 
reality  of  religion  has  departed,  leaving  behind  but  an 
empty  form — the  husk  without  the  kernel. 

Such  cataclysms  as  the  world  is  now  suffering,  caused 
by  the  absence  of  the  spirit  of  true  religion  in  the  souls 
of  individuals  and  of  nations,  are  at  last  causing  people 
to  awake  to  the  real  spiritual  needs  of  humanity.  Many 
souls  are  now  recognizing  that  this  general  misery  and 
suffering  is  fundamentally  due  to  the  fact  that  the  vital 
constructive  spiritual  reality  of  divine  religion  is  not 
sufficiently  realized  in  the  lives  of  peoples,  and  that  peace 
and  prosperity,  happiness  and  joy  can  only  be  known 
when  this  vital  spiritual  reality  of  religion  is  born  into 
the  souls  of  men  and  manifesting  in  their  daily  deeds. 

If  material  and  intellectual  advancement  could  in  them- 
selves produce  ideal  conditions  in  the  world,  the  present 


12  Constructive  Principles 

advanced  world-culture  would  offer  different  evidence 
than  that  we  are  now  facing. 

There  was  a  time,  not  long  past,  when  many  eloquent 
leaders  of  thought  disabused  innumerable  minds  of  their 
time-honored  superstitions  and  erroneous  beliefs  that 
through  the  imaginations  of  men  had  so  encrusted  true 
religion  as  to  deaden  and  obscure  its  light,  and  prevent 
its  penetrating  those  veiling  forms  and  thoughts.  Be- 
cause of  apparent  contradictions  in  religious  teachings, 
discrepancies,  and  lack  of  reason  and  common  sense,  many 
earnest,  thoughtful  souls  were  repelled,  abandoned  older 
systems  of  belief  and  formulated  newer  ones  more  in 
harmony  with  their  own  views  of  things  spiritual,  while 
others  threw  aside  all  religious  affiliations  of  whatever 
sort  discarding  along  with  the  dross  the  good  that  should 
have  been  retained — as  the  pendulum  of  spiritual  sin- 
cerity swung  to  the  other  extreme. 

In  this  day  it  is  of  utmost  import  that  those  who  are 
studying  the  matter  have  noted  that  the  period  of  re- 
ligious iconoclasm  has  passed.  Many  of  the  superstitions 
have  been  eliminated  from  religion  and  more  are  being 
discarded  by  the  people,  and  now  the  question  in  their 
minds  is  not,  as  formerly  what  not  to  believe  of  creed 
and  dogma,  so  much  as  what  to  know  in  order  to  be 
spiritually  and  morally  reinforced  for  all  the  problems 
of  life. 

The  religious  upheaval  which  has  continued  for  a  gen- 
eration or  more,  has  so  prepared  the  hearts  and  minds  of 
mankind,  that  the  iconoclast  and  the  destroyer  no  longer 


o^  THE  Bahai  Movement  13 

find  listeners,  for  the  ears  of  the  multitude  are  open  to 
those  who  have  constructive  and  demonstrable  truth  to 
give  forth.  Humanity  is  more  than  ever  led  by  the  con- 
structive principles  of  truth,  and  while  thinking  people 
have  in  no  way  returned  to  the  old  discarded  ideas  and 
religious  forms,  yet  they  are  seeking  religious  truth,  and 
it  is  evident  that  atheism  and  agnosticism  are  on  the  de- 
crease. Nowhere  is  this  more  noticeable  than  among 
scientists  and  other  deep  thinkers  who  realize  the  dynamic 
force  of  religion  for  inspiring  humanity  to  constructive 
and  productive  spiritual  idealism — acknowledged  as  the 
most  necessary  factor  in  the  progress  and  equilibrium  of 
the  race,  the  inner  spiritual  illumination  that  is  the  basic 
foundation  of  true  social  and  economic  tranquility  and 
happiness,  and  the  source  of  advancement  of  real  civili- 
zation. 

This  illumination  quickens  the  soul  of  man,  freeing  him 
from  limitations  of  the  past,  displacing  fear  by  courage, 
and  despondency  by  hope  and  assurance.  This  spirit 
quickens  and  gives  life  to  all  latent  possibilities  and  ca- 
pacities for  good.  Thus,  true  religion  is  the  source  of 
human  progress,  while  a  false  religion  of  spiritless,  dead 
ideals  causes  both  moral  apathy  and  physical  degenera- 
tion. Thus,  progressive  men  are  foremost  as  sincere  seek- 
ers of  truth.  They  are  not  to  be  satisfied  by  mere  dogma. 
They  wish  to  know  reality  and  to  see  results,  and  then 
they  believe  in  the  source  of  living  truth  that  proves  its 
power  and  its  luminousness  by  the  life  which  it  gives — as 
a  life  giving  sun  shining  upon  living  things. 


III. 

THE  BAHAI  MOVEMENT 


THE  BAHAI  MOVEMENT. 

Religion,  which  is  inherent  in  man,  dates  in  general 
essence  before  the  dawn  of  written  history — each  re- 
Hgious  movement  in  its  purity  of  truth  being  a  phase  of 
the  one  great  Universal  divine  religion. 

The  particular,  present,  latter-day  phase  of  religion 
that  we  are  here  considering — the  Bahai  Movement — 
began  over  seventy  years  ago,  when  its  first  teacher  arose 
in  the  year  1844,  in  the  Southern  part  oY  Persia,  teach- 
ing under  the  title  of  The  Bab,  which  term  signifies  door 
or  gate.  He  proclaimed  the  approaching  advent  of 
One — a  great  world  teacher — whose  divine  mission  was 
the  uniting  in  one  great  spiritual  brotherhood  of  the 
peoples  of  all  nations,  races  and  religions,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  new  spiritual  era  of  oneness  of  all  humanity 
in  spiritual  knowledge,  and  in  brotherhood  and  peace. 

The  Bab's  teaching  dwelt  upon  the  coming  of  the 
Great  Manifestation — of  whom  He  spoke  as  "He  Whom 
God  Would  Manifest" — exhorting  the  people  to  prepare, 
and  purify  themselves  to  meet  this  Promised  One,  and 
to  be  ready  to  serve  Him  when  He  should  appear. 

Many  seeking  souls  were  attracted  by  The  Bab  through 
His  purity  and  illumination  of  spirit,  for  in  Him  the  peo- 
ple not  only  saw  the  fore-runner  of  the  great  universal 
messiah,  but  they  realized  in  Him  "The  First  Point"  of 
the  great  new  age  of  God  in  the  world. 

To  The  Bab  flocked  people  from  the  great  religions  of 


18  Constructive  Principles 

Persia.  Much  enthusiasm  was  manifested  by  all,  and 
the  Mohammedan  clergy  watched  the  growth  of  the  move- 
ment with  jealousy,  because  they  saw  thousands  of  their 
own  people  going  out  from  Islam  and  from  the  super- 
stitions and  forms  which  they  taught.  Seeing  their  own 
religious  hold  over  the  people  waning  before  this  teach- 
ing, these  priests  of  Islam  sought  to  exterminate  the  new 
movement.  They  incited  the  fanatical  Moslems  to  pill- 
age, arson  and  murder.  Thousands  of  the  Babis  (fol- 
lowers of  The  Bab  as  they  were  then  called)  were  massa- 
cred, their  homes  burned  and  possessions  destroyed;  but 
notwithstanding  this  persecution  the  cause  continued  to 
grow,  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  being  the  seed. 

The  Bab,  Himself,  was  among  the  first  to  suffer. 
Scarcely  had  His  mission  begun  than  He  was  placed 
under  military  surveillance,  and  after  two  years  of  teach- 
ing under  this  difficulty,  was  cast  into  prison  where  He 
remained  for  four  years,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time  He  was  tried  for  heresy  before  a  clerical  court  was 
condemned  and  suffered  a  martyr's  death. 

Not  long  after  the  martyrdom  of  The  Bab,  the  great 
world  teacher  appeared,  in  the  person  of  Baha'o'llah,* 
"He  whom  God  Manifested."  Surrounded  by  countless 
fanatical  enemies  who  strove  to  destroy  Him  and  His 
cause,  Baha'o'llah  was  first  known  as  a  leader  among 
the  much  persecuted  Babis;  then  later,  as  His  power  be- 
came manifest  to  all,  He  was  generally  acknowledged  to 
be  The  One  Whose  coming  The  Bab  had  proclaimed. 

From  that  time  on  the  cause  became  known  as  the 


o^  TH^  Bahai  Movement  19 

Bahai  Cause,  and  the  followers,  as  Bahais,  while  the  Babi 
Cause  as  a  separate  movement,  ceased  to  exist,  the  Bab's 
mission  and  the  teaching  which  He  established  being  not 
an  end  in  itself  but  preparatory  to  the  coming  of 
Baha'o'llah. 

The  Mission  of  Baha'o'Uah  lasted  forty  years,  during 
which  time  He  withstood  all  manner  of  trials  and  per- 
secutions. He  was  sent  out  from  His  home  in  Persia  as 
an  exile  and  a  prisoner  to  Bagdad  in  Asiatic  Turkey,  then 
to  Constantinople  in  Turkey  in  Europe,  and  later  to 
Adrianople  in  Roumelia,  where  He  remained  for  five 
years,  afterward  enduring  with  His  family  and  about 
seventy  followers,  men,  women,  and  children,  a  still  more 
distant  exile  imprisonment  in  the  fortress  of  Akka,  in 
the  Holy  Land.  In  that  country  ever  made  sacred  by 
God's  prophets  and  Holy  messengers — within  view  of 
Mount  Carmel  upon  which  Elijah  and  others  of  the 
Prophets  had  taught,  and  within  a  few  miles  of  Nazareth 
where  Jesus  had  lived — Baha'o'Uah  completed  the  latter 
half  of  His  active  ministrations  to  humanity. 

During  the  first  years  of  His  captivity  in  Akka 
Baha'o'Uah  and  His  followers  suffered  great  privations. 
Confined  in  the  barrack  prison  under  conditions  the  most 
unsanitary,  illness  broke  out  and  the  suffering  was  so 
intense  that  without  the  faith  and  the  assurance  of  soul 
of  all  incarcerated,  the  spirit  of  the  community  would 
have  been  quite  broken,  but  in  reality  their  persecution 
and  trouble  had  the  effect  of  increasing  their  miraculous 
faith  and  devotion. 


20  Constructive  Principi^es 

As  years  passed,  the  officials  of  the  prison  fortress  city 
realized  that  Baha'o'llah  manifested  love,  and  harmony, 
and  they  became  friendly,  so  little  by  little  the  condition 
of  the  Bahai  exiled  community  was  bettered.  Baha'o'Uah 
was  first  given  the  liberty  of  the  city  and  later  He  was 
allowed  by  the  governor  to  reside  beyond  the  walls.  The 
followers  from  various  countries  came  to  receive  teach- 
ings from  Him,  returning  again  to  their  own  lands  and 
peoples  fired  with  the  desire  to  share  with  others  the 
spiritual  pearls  of  great  price  which  they  had  found,  and 
thus  the  cause  spread  throughout  various  of  the  oriental 
countries. 

Baha'o'Uah  gave  His  teaching  and  planted  His  cause 
amid  humanity,  thus  completing  His  work  in  this  world. 
Then  for  further  guidance  and  development  and  for  the 
interpretation  and  explanation  of  His  teachings  He  desig- 
nated as  His  successor,  His  son  Abdul  Baha. 

With  the  passing  from  this  world  of  Baha'o'Uah,  in 
the  late  spring  of  1892,  began  Abdul  Baha's  mission  as 
the  Center  of  The  Bahai  Cause.  The  title  of  servitude 
which  he  chose  for  himself,  namely,  "Abdul  Baha"  means 
"The  servant  of  God."  Abdul  Baha  seeks  no  honor  nor 
glory  for  himself  other  than  servant  of  those  who  are 
serving  God,  yet  in  the  texts  of  Baha'o'Uah  the  spiritual 
station  of  Abdul  Baha  is  clearly  set  forth  as  the  Center 
of  the  Bahai  Covenant  to  humanity. 

From  his  earliest  childhood  Abdul  Baha's  life  has  been 
devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and  humanity.  He  was 
with  Baha'o'Uah  during  the  sixteen  years  of  exile  and 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  21 

travel  prior  to  His  arrival  in  Akka,  and  then  began  Abdul 
Baha's  long  exile  of  forty  years  in  that  fortress,  to  which 
the  sultans  of  Turkey  of  the  old  regime  used  to  send 
their  most  dreaded  enemies  so  that  its  terrible  conditions 
of  filth  and  disease  might  speedily  accomplish  their 
destruction. 

It  was  in  August,  1868,  that  Abdul  Baha  arrived  in 
Akka  with  Baha'o'llah.  In  August,  1908,  when  the  Turks 
revolted  against  former  rule  and  established  a  constitu- 
tional form  of  government,  Abdul  Baha  was  officially 
freed.  But  during  those  years  of  trial  Abdul  Baha  had 
accomplished  his  work  despite  the  persecution  of  his  ene- 
mies, while  held  as  Baha'o'llah  was  held  prisoner  by  the 
law  of  Islam  because  of  his  progress  in  teachings.  With 
each  added  trouble  came  spiritual  growth  and  strength  to 
the  cause.  Throughout  the  years  that  Abdul  Baha  was 
in  Akka  he  labored  constantly  with  his  pen  and  was  able, 
from  time  to  time  to  receive  visits  from  truth  seekers  of 
Europe  and  America  as  well  as  of  the  near  and  far  East. 
Now  the  Bahai  Cause  is  firmly  planted  in  both  the  Occi- 
dent and  the  Orient  and  souls  are  constantly  arising  to 
promote  Abdul  Baha's  work. 

Some  little  time  after  the  revolution  in  Turkey,  that 
brought  freedom  from  prison  confinement  in  Akka  to 
Abdul  Baha,  he  went  down  into  Egypt  and  from  there 
visited  Paris  and  London,  and  later,  in  the  Spring  of 
1912,  he  came  to  these  United  States,  where  he  spent 
eight  months.  He  traveled  from  coast  to  coast  and  vis- 
ited many  places  where  he  had  friends  and  where  there 


22  Constructive  Principles 

were  people  who  wished  to  hear  his  explanations  of  re- 
ligious questions  and  who  were  desirous  of  coming  into 
closer  touch  with  that  vital  illuminating  spiritual  force 
which  so  characterizes  his  presence. 

In  America,  as  well  as  in  England  and  in  France  and, 
subsequently  upon  his  return  to  Europe,  in  both  Germany 
and  Austria,  the  pulpits  of  Christian  churches  of  many  de- 
nominations, institutions  of  learning,  and  the  platforms 
of  philosophical  societies  and  of  progressive  humani- 
tarian movements  of  various  kinds  sought  Abdul  Baha, 
welcomed  his  message  of  peace  and  world  oneness,  and 
were  rejoiced  by  the  spirit  which  he  radiated. 

In  his  many  addresses,  most  of  which  have  been  pub- 
lished, Abdul  Baha  treats  of  the  creative  function  of  the 
religion  of  God,  of  the  great  world  problems  of  this  pres- 
ent day,  and  of  the  solution  of  these  great  human  diffi- 
culties through  the  application  of  the  true  spirit  of  re- 
ligion in  the  lives  of  the  people.  Upon  all  occasions  he 
has  taught  of  the  coming  of  the  great  world  teacher  and 
Manifestation  of  The  Spirit,  Baha'o'llah,  and  of  the  new 
spiritual  era  upon  earth  that  Baha'o'llah  inaugurated. 
Abdul  Baha  invites  all  people  to  approach  the  Bahai 
Cause  and  for  themselves  seek  and  partake  of  this  divine 
bounty,  and  to  become  servants  of  God  and  of  humanity 
in  carrying  this  message  of  the  Lord  to  all  peoples. 

Those  who  have  seen  Abdul  Baha,  with  quickened 
spiritual  eyes  of  the  soul,  have  realized  in  him  the  life 
giving  spirit  of  Baha'o'llah  and  in  Abdul  Baha's  life  of 
service  to  humanity  the  manifested  fruit  of  The  Cause  of 
Baha'o'llah. 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  23 

The  Bab  was  the  precursor  and  "The  First  Point,"  of 
this  religious  cause  in  the  world  of  to-day.  Baha'o'Uah 
and  His  teaching,  formed  the  root  of  the  movement, 
which  has  been  compared  to  a  tree — Abdul  Baha  the 
branch,  springing  from  the  root  that  is  Baha'o'Uah.  As 
the  branch  of  the  tree  bears  the  leaves,  flowers,  fruits  and 
seeds,  so  in  the  life  of  Abdul  Baha  is  the  world  witnessing 
the  budding  forth  and  flowering  of  the  Bahai  principles 
of  religion  and  their  application  to  the  needs  of  humanity. 


IV. 
BASIC  SPIRITUAL  TRUTHS 


BASIC  SPIRITUAL  TRUTHS. 

The  Bahai  teaching  is  in  no  sense  a  crystalized  belief 
or  philisophy.  It  has  within  it  that  spiritual  dynamic 
force  or  life  principle  that  ever  has  been  the  intrinsic 
essence  of  religion  eliminating  those  outward  forms  and 
fixed  formulae  of  theology  which  characterized  the 
ancient  religions  and  which  always  caused  their  decay  and 
the  decline  of  vital  power.  In  its  beginning  each  relig- 
ious teaching  in  its  purity  was  a  vital  spiritual  force  unen- 
cumbered by  creed  or  dogma,  yet  as  time  rolled  on  the 
fntrmsic  pure  religion  became  encrusted  with  forms  and 
ceremonies  until  the  spiritual  light  became  hidden  or  quite 
disappeared. 

Like  all  vital,  primal  religious  movements.  The  Bahai 
teaching  deals  with  divinely  constructive  principles — those 
principles  moral  and  spiritual  that  govern  the  evolution 
of  man,  for  in  the  realm  of  the  soul  there  are  working 
spiritual  laws  as  unchangeable  and  is  immutable  as  the 
laws  governing  the  universe  of  inorganic  matter.  It  is 
only  through  becoming  spiritually  quickened  and  by  liv- 
ing in  harmony  with  these  spiritual  laws  of  the  divine 
realm  of  being,  that  man  can  arise  from  his  natural  con- 
dition of  ignorance  and  savagery  into  a  state  of  true 
knowledge  and  civilization. 

The  mission  of  the  prophets  and  divine  teachers  who 
have  appeared  in  every  age  has  been  to  quicken  men's 
souls  that  they  might  perceive  the  truth  and  know  God, 


28  Constructive  Principi^es 

to  reveal  the  divine  laws  working  in  the  spiritual  world, 
and  to  teach  humanity  how  to  live  in  accordance  with 
those  laws,  that  man  might  work  and  progress  spiritually, 
intellectually  and  materially.  These  vital  spiritual  prin- 
ciples the  Bahai  movement  puts  forth  and  upholds  with 
all  candor  and  fervor,  because  these  are  the  foundation 
principles  of  religion,  of  science,  and  of  civilization. 
They  are  living  truth  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  forms 
founded  upon  superstition  and  imagination. 

Whereas,  in  the  formulae  of  some  religions  the  people 
are  forbidden  studying  for  themselves  or  trying  person- 
ally to  understand  things  of  the  spiritual  realm,  in  the 
Bahai  teaching  the  people  are  exhorted  not  to  accept 
merely  upon  blind  faith,  but  are  taught  that  each  one 
should  seek  spiritual  illumination.  Through  understand- 
ing the  divine  reality  of  religion  past  and  present,  and 
through  living  in  accord  with  this  high  standard,  each 
soul  will  become  enlightened  and  strong  in  the  truth  of 
God,  and  will  be  enabled  to  lead  a  good  and  useful  life 
in  glorifying  God  through  serving  humanity. 

The  Bahai  teaching,  like  all  true  religion,  is  founded 
upon  the  eternal  reality  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  True  re- 
ligion is  truth  and  it  must  all  come  from  the  inspiration 
of  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  God.  This  is  one  of  the  basic 
principles  of  the  Bahais,  who  speak  of  it  as  the  funda- 
mental unity  of  all  religions,  for  they  recognize  all  the 
great  religious  revealers  and  teachers  as  having  been  in- 
spired from  the  one  eternal  Spirit  of  God,  "The  Word." 
The  teaching  of  the  prophets  and  their  institutions  varied 


OF  TH^  Bahai  Movement  29 

in  each  age  in  order  to  meet  the  needs,  moral  and  spirit- 
ual, of  the  changing  epochs.  As  a  child  passes  through 
elementary  and  primary  grades  of  education  and  on 
through  higher  ones  to  the  college  and  the  university,  so 
humanity  has  needed  many  teachers  of  spiritual  truth, 
each  manifesting  God's  spirit  to  man. 

When  understood,  the  teachings  of  the  many  prophets 
are  in  perfect  accord  as  are  the  various  grades  or  schools 
of  scientific  knowledge,  appropriate  to  childhood,  youth 
and  maturity;  but  a  clear  differentiatioii  must  be  made 
between  living  truth  as  taught  by  the  prophet,  and  the 
man-made-philosophies  falsely  attributed  to  prophetic 
teaching,  in  reality,  formulated  by  individuals  who  have 
lived  generations  after  the  revelator. 

The  pure  teachings,  as  given  by  God's  messengers  to 
humanity,  have  been  divinely  constructive  and  they  have 
formed  the  basis  of  real  advancement  and  learning.  The 
spiritual  teachings  were  not  only  in  harmony  with  the 
scientific  thought  of  their  times,  but  all  later  science  has 
been  in  harmony  with  their  principles ;  and  yet  this  cannot 
be  said  of  the  interpretations  and  the  superstitions  which 
have  crept  about  the  pure  message  of  truth,  through  the 
mortal  minds  of  men.  As  religions  become  characterized 
by  superstitions  they  are  the  cause  of  hinderance  instead 
of  development  of  education  and  science;  and  formal 
crystalized  religion  has  ever  been  found  to  be  the  most 
persistent  enemy  that  progressive  humanity  has  encount- 
ered. In  all  ages  and  under  all  religious  systems  the  dog- 
matists have   opposed  and   retarded  advancement  and 


30 


progress,  although  the  divine  teachers  whom  these  for- 
malists claim  to  follow  were  themselves  progressive. 

One  of  the  great  and  important  phases  of  the  Bahai 
work  is  to  establish  this  true  and  harmonious  relation 
between  religion,  or  spiritual  science,  or  divine  reality 
and  material  science  or  physical  reality.  These  two  go 
hand  in  hand  and  there  is  perfect  harmony  between  them, 
but  it  is  needed  that  man  should  recognize  and  acknowl- 
edge this  divine  reality  of  true  religion.  Freed  from 
superstition  he  will  then  be  established  in  his  religion,  not 
upon  an  unstable  basis  of  imagination  and  dogma,  but 
upon  a  firm  basis  of  spiritual  knowledge  which  nothing 
can  shake. 


V. 

RELIGION  THE  FOUNDATION 
OF  CIVILIZATION 


RELIGION   THE   FOUNDATION   OF   CIVILI- 
ZATION. 

It  is  with  great  interest  that  the  material  progress  of 
the  world  can  be  traced  by  the  student  along  and  parallel 
with  the  moral  and  religious  progress  of  humanity.  That 
which  benefits  men's  souls  and  adds  to  their  moral 
strength,  as  does  the  true  spirit  of  religion,  perforce  bene- 
fits men  physically  and  elevates  their  standard  of  material 
living.  Conversely,  a  philosophy  full  of  superstitions 
and  imaginations  merely  sophisticates  the  conscience  and 
tends  to  stupefy  the  intellect  and  spirit  of  man,  thereby 
so  weakening  him  morally  that  physical  degeneration 
takes  place  with  a  general  lowering  in  the  scale  of  his 
material  life. 

As  with  the  individual  so  with  the  mass  in  the  long 
run,  the  material  tranquility,  happiness  and  progress  of  a 
nation,  or  people  are  directly  proportionate  to  their  grasp 
of  spiritual  truth,  while  the  internal  disintegration  and 
fall  of  a  people  is  always  due  to  deviation  from  the  fun- 
damental constructive  principles  of  the  pure  truths  of 
religion. 

This  basic  fact  is  clearly  to  be  traced  in  the  rise  and 
fall  of  the  civilizations  of  the  past.  Each  great  civiliza- 
tion had  its  birth  in  a  vital  religious  movement  that  up- 
held and  represented  progressive  moral  and  spiritual 
principles  in  which  both  the  spiritual,  and  material  prog- 
ress of  humanity  are  rooted.    As  time  has  passed  the  fruit 


34  Constructive  Principles 

of  such  true  religion  has  appeared  in  the  civilization  of  a 
people  with  its  literature  and  arts  and  sciences.  Upon  the 
other  hand  the  fall  of  great  civilizations  has,  in  every  in- 
stance, been  due  to  religious  superstitions  and  laxity  of 
morals,  which  both  cause  and  accompany  an  age  of  relig- 
ious degeneration — all  of  which  manifests  in  the  material 
and  physical  downfall  of  humanity. 

The  condition  of  present-day  humanity  illustrates  this 
principle  as  vividly  as  conditions  of  any  past  age.  In 
countries  where  the  most  conventional  religious  systems 
exist,  one  finds  form  and  ceremonial,  creed  and  caste  most 
in  evidence,  while  the  mass  of  the  people  are  in  a  state 
of  ignorance  and  often  in  general  misery.  Among  these 
people  one  finds  beautiful  religious  ideals  recorded  in 
their  holy  books,  but  these  have  become  as  empty  shells 
upon  the  sands,  beautiful  shells  that  testify  to  a  life  and 
growth  of  the  past,  but  from  within  them  the  life  force 
has  gone  and  they  now  are  inert  or  dead. 

Each  world  age  has  its  own  problems.  That  which 
conduces  to  the  constructive  development  of  the  epoch  is 
moral  and  progressive,  and  is  truth.  The  Bahai  Teach- 
ings hold  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  soul  to  consider  these 
matters,  and  for  the  universal  good  of  humanity  to  sup- 
port these  principles  of  true  religion  that  are  necessary 
for  the  progressing  world. 

To-day,  civilization  is  in  a  turbulent  state  of  change. 
In  the  religious  world,  old  conventions  are  being  dis- 
carded and  dynamic  truths  are  being  sought.  This  con- 
dition of  truth-seeking  is  universally  evident  among  peo- 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  35 

pies  of  all  races  and  of  all  religions ;  and  because  of  this 
universal  spiritual  condition  there  is  a  merging  of  civili- 
zations from  the  East  and  the  West  of  the  present  and 
the  past,  resulting  in  a  conglomerate  mass  of  ideals  and 
standards  all  at  variance.  The  time  now  is,  when  a  new 
Divine  Manifestation  is  needed  establishing  a  universal 
standard  of  true  religion  that  shall  be  the  basis  of  the 
new  civilization — a  world  civilization.  The  foundation 
of  this  great  world-harmony,  spiritual,  moral  and  ma- 
terial, the  Bahai  founders  have  brought  to  humanity.  To 
this  end  they  have  devoted  Their  lives,  as  the  divine 
messengers  of  old  sacrificing  all  for  the  truth  of  God  and 
to  serve  the  people. 


VI. 

THE  ONENESS  OF  HUMANITY 


THE  ONENESS  OF  HUMANITY. 

The  object  of  true  religion  has  ever  been  the  oneness 
of  the  human  family,  and  the  real  spirit  of  the  teaching? 
of  Christ  and  the  prophets  thus  unites  the  souls  of  men  in 
that  spiritual  state  spoken  of  in  Holy  Writ  as  "The  King- 
dom of  the  Father."  Conversely,  through  misconception 
and  wrong  interpretation,  religion  has  been  so  miscon- 
strued that  it  has  often  become  false  and  a  cause  of  in- 
harmony  instead  of  peace.  Some  of  the  bitterest  wars 
and  the  bloodiest  crimes  of  history,  have  been  due  to 
fanaticism  and  other  forms  of  false  religious  teachings. 

In  defining  the  true  object  of  religion  Abdul  Baha 
says : 

"Every  religion  is  the  greatest  divine  effulgence,  the 
cause  of  life  amongst  men,  the  cause  of  the  honor  of  hu- 
manity, and  is  productive  of  the  life  everlasting  amongst 
humankind.  Religion  is  not  for  enmity  or  hatred.  It  is  not 
for  tyranny  or  injustice.  If  religion  be  the  cause  of  enmity 
and  rancor,  if  it  should  prove  the  cause  of  alienating  men, 
assuredly  non-religion  would  be  better.  For  religion  and 
the  teachings  which  appertain  to  it  are  as  a  course  of 
treatment.  What  is  the  object  of  any  course  of  treat- 
ment?  It  is  cure  and  healing.  But  if  the  outcome  of  a 
course  of  treatment  should  be  productive  of  mere  diag- 
nosis  and  discussion  of  symptoms,  the  abolition  of  it  is 
evidently  preferable.  In  this  sense,  abandoning  religion 
would  be  a  step  toward  unity." 

The  Bahai  Movement  teaches  the  abandonment  of  all 
denominational,  religious,  racial,  national,  and  class  preju- 


40  Constructive  Principles 

dice  because  hatreds  have  ever  been  destructive  forces  and 
often  have  been  the  cause  of  war,  and  bloodshed  and  suf- 
fering. People  are  exhorted  so  to  conduct  themselves  as 
to  conduce  to  the  unity,  harmony  and  general  welfare  of 
the  human  race. 

While  many  religious  teachings  condemn  those  per- 
sons holding  views  other  than  their  own,  Abdul  Baha 
says: 

s 

"Baha'o'llah  addresses  Himself  to  the  world  of  men, 
saying,  *Ye  are  all  leaves  of  one  tree  and  the  fruits  of  one 
arbor.'  That  is,  the  world  of  existence  is  no  other  than 
one  tree,  and  nations  or  peoples  are  like  unto  the  different 
branches  or  limbs  thereof,  and  human  individuals  are 
similar  to  the  fruits  and  blossoms  thereof,  while  in  all 
past  religious  books  and  epistles,  the  world  of  humanity 
has  been  divided  into  two  parts,  one  called  the  people  of 
the  Book,  or  the  Pure  Tree,  and  the  other,  the  Evil  Tree. 
One-half  of  the  people  of  the  world  were  looked  upon  as 
belonging  to  the  faithful,  and  the  other  as  belonging  to 
the  irreligious  and  the  infidel;  one-half  were  consigned  to 
the  mercy  of  the  Creator,  and  the  other  half  were  con- 
sidered as  objects  of  the  wrath  of  their  Maker.  But 
Baha'o'llah  proclaimed  the  Oneness  of  the  World  of 
Humanity,  He  submerged  all  mankind  in  the  Sea  of  Di- 
vine Generosity." 

The  great  spiritual  teachers  of  the  world  have  so  modu- 
lated and  applied  their  teachings  as  to  meet  the  specific 
needs  of  the  temporal,  material  and  intellectual,  as  well 
as  spiritual  being.  While  the  Bahai  teaching  is  essen- 
tially spiritual  in  the  abstract,  it  also  applies  its  spiritual 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  41 

force  to  the  existent  age,  and  is  emanating  through  the 
general  advancement  of  humanity.  The  welfare  of  the 
individual  and  the  welfare  of  the  community  depend  upon 
mutual  co-operation,  as  that  which  benefits  the  commu- 
nity benefits  each  member  of  the  community,  and  that 
which  in  reality  benefits  the  individual  also  benefits  the 
community. 

In  the  Bahai  teachings,  this  co-operation  is  carried  fur- 
ther from  the  individual  to  the  nation,  and  from  the 
nation  to  all  humanity.  The  constructiveness  of  the  c6^ 
operation  of  nations,  is  advocated  for  the  establishment 
and  maintenance  of  those  international  institutions  which 
would  make  for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  whole 
world;  for  in  this  universal  age,  now  in  its  dawn,  and 
for  the  first  time  in  history,  the  problem  of  the  inter- 
dependence of  nations  is  paramount.  In  this  developing 
ag^e  the  welfare  of  the  nations  and  the  welfare  of  human-  i 
ity,  are  inseparable. 

One  of  the  greatest  responsibilities  of  the  age  is  the 
adjustment  of  its  economic  difficulties.  In  speaking  of 
this,  Abdul  Baha  says : 

"No  religious  books  of  the  past  prophets  speak  of  the 
economic  question,  while  the  economic  problem  has  been 
thoroughly  solved  in  the  teachings  of  Baha'o'Uah.  Cer- 
tain regulations  are  revealed  which  insure  the  welfare  and 
well  being  of  all  humanity.  Just  as  the  rich  man  enjoys 
his  rest  and  his  pleasure  surrounded  by  luxuries,  the  poor 
man  must  likewise  have  a  home,  be  provided  with  sus- 
tenance, and  not  be  in  want.  Until  this  is  effected  hap- 
piness is  impossible.     All  are  equal  in  the  estimation  of 


42  Constructive  Principi.es 

God ;  there  is  no  distinction  for  any  soul ;  all  are  protected 
beneath  the  justice  of  God." 

The  Bahai  Movement  advocates  a  liberal  education 
for  children  of  both  sexes,  of  all  countries,  races  and  re- 
ligions, under  a  universal  standard  of  instruction  and  a 
common  curriculum,  thus  abolishing  the  limitations  and 
prejudices  of  local  environment  providing  that  each 
child  be  educated  toward  sympathy  with  a  universal  hu- 
manity, in  this  way  laying  the  foundations  and  instilling 
ideals  of  a  universal  world  citizenship,  achieving  the 
downfall  of  the  confining  and  binding  prejudices  of  past 
generations. 

Another  great  issue  of  the  present  day  is  ''Feminism." 
The  Bahais,  in  all  countries  east  and  west,  stand  for  the 
advancement  of  women  and  for  unhampered  opportuni- 
ties for  both  sexes.  In  countries  of  the  Occident  the 
emancipation  of  woman  now  seems  to  be  progressing 
without  much  opposition,  but  not  in  the  Orient,  where  the 
conventions  of  existing  religious  systems  still  keep  woman 
in  ignorance  and  bondage.  In  these  countries  a  change 
of  religion  is  needed  to  uplift  women,  for  the  old  forms 
of  their  religion  keep  the  women  in  ignorance.  Abdul 
Baha,  in  writing  to  the  Bahais  in  Persia,  tells  them  that 
it  is  more  necessary  that  they  educate  their  girls  than 
their  boys,  because  the  girls  become  mothers  and  first 
teachers  of  the  following  generation  therefore  their  edu- 
cation is  of  the  greatest  importance. 

Many  years  ago,  Baha'o'llah  advocated  a  universal 
language,  for  the  furtherance  of  intercommunication  and 


OF  the:  Bahai  Movement  43 

world  unity.    In  speaking  of  this,  Abdul  Baha  says : 

''The  oneness  of  language,  namely,  that  a  universal 
language  shall  be  adopted  which  shall  be  taught  by  all  the 
schools  and  academies  of  the  world.  A  committee  ap- 
pointed by  national  bodies  shall  select  a  suitable  language 
to  be  used  as  a  means  of  international  communication, 
and  that  language  shall  be  taught  in  all  the  schools  of  the 
world  in  order  that  every  one  shall  need  but  two  lan- 
guages, his  national  tongue  and  the  universal  language. 
All  will  acquire  the  international  language." 

In  treating  of  world  peace,  which  is  the  greatest  in- 
sistent of  to-day  Abdul  Baha  said : 

"That  all  men  and  nations  shall  make  peace ;  that  there 
shall  be  Universal  Peace  amongst  governments,  Universal 
Peace  amongst  religions,  Universal  Peace  amongst  races, 
Universal  Peace  amongst  the  denizens  of  all  regions.  To- 
day in  the  world  of  humanity  the  most  important  matter 
is  the  question  of  Universal  Peace.  The  realization  of 
this  principle  is  the  crying  need  of  the  time." 

This  need  of  universal  peace  is  essentially  one  for 
which  true  religion  is  the  only  remedy.  The  present  war 
of  nations  has  quite  demonstrated  to  the  thinking  world, 
that  the  generally  accepted  philosophy  of  Christendom 
has  been  applied  in  theory  rather  than  in  deed,  for  had  the 
nations  been  alive  with  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity, 
such  a  condition  could  never  have  arisen. 

Baha'o'llah  laid  the  foundation  for  world  peace 
through  bringing  into  the  world  the  soul-quickening  spirit 


44 


of  the  reality  of  religion,  and  in  the  many  diverse  human 
elements  which  His  Cause  is  fusing  into  spiritual  unity 
can  be  seen  the  growing  nucleus  of  this  new  religious  life 
in  the  world.  The  Cause  of  Baha'o'llah  includes  also, 
the  necessity  for  the  establishment  and  the  enforcement 
of  international  justice  as  well  as  of  civil  justice.  In 
speaking  of  this  Abdul  Baha  said: 

"A  universal  tribunal  which  will  be  under  the  power 
of  God  under  the  protection  of  all  men.  Each  one  must 
obey  the  decisions  of  this  tribunal,  in  order  to  arrange 
the  difficulties  of  every  nation." 

''About  fifty  years  ago  in  the  Book  of  Akdas,  Baha'- 
o'llah  commanded  the  people  to  establish  the  Universal 
Peace  and  summoned  all  the  nations  to  the  Divine  Ban- 
quet of  International  Arbitration  so  that  the  questions  of 
boundaries,  of  national  honor  and  property  and  of  vital 
interests  between  nations  might  be  decided  by  an  arbitral 
court  of  justice." 

''Remember  these  precepts  were  given  more  than  half 
a  century  ago.  Baha'o'llah  proclaimed  them  to  all  the 
sovereigns  of  the  world.  They  are  the  spirit  of  this  age; 
the  light  of  this  age;  they  are  the  well-being  of  this  age." 

A  new  note  has  been  sounded  in  the  world,  for  in  this 
day  one's  interests  can  no  longer  be  restricted,  but  patriot- 
ism must  become  universal.  Baha'o'llah  struck  that  new 
note  when  He  said :  "Let  not  a  man  glory  that  he  loves 
his  country,  but  rather,  let  him  glory  that  he  loves  his 
kind." 


VII. 

THE  GREAT  DIVINE  TEACHER 
AND  THE  NEW  AGE 


THE  GREAT  DIVINE  TEACHER  AND  THE 
NEW  AGE. 

The  Bahai  Cause  teaches  that  the  finite  mind  of  man 
cannot  grasp,  nor  form  any  conception  of  the  Infinite 
Spirit  of  God  for  the  finite  mind  is  Hmited  to  the  finite 
sphere  of  humanity. 

The  desire  for  knowledge  of  the  working  of  divine 
laws  that  govern  the  growth  and  development  of  the  soul, 
is  inherent  in  man,  and  in  all  ages  he  has  sought  religion 
in  some  form. 

This  desire  or  capacity  for  spiritual  knowledge  in  man 
has  been  ministered  to  through  God's  sending,  from  age 
to  age,  spiritually  quickened  human  beings  who  revealed 
to  the  world  those  truths  that  are  food  and  sustenance  for 
the  souls  of  men. 

Thus,  divine  messengers  have  manifested  to  man  The 
Word,  or  living  spirit  of  the  Divine.  These  messengers 
have  been  men  and,  as  other  men,  have  lived  and  suffered, 
yet  apart  from  this  they  have  been  differentiated  from  the 
rest  of  humanity  by  the  inspirational  Divine  Word,  which 
in  them  was  manifest. 

These  Divine  Manifestations  have  been  the  sources 
of  spiritual  knowledge  and  the  centers  of  true  religion  in 
humanity.  They  have  all  manifested  the  one  same  and 
single  Divine  Light.  In  alluding  to  the  spirit  of  these 
divine  teachers  and  centers  of  wisdom,  Baha'o'llah,  in  one 
of  His  works,  the  ''Words  of  Wisdom"  writes : 


48  Constructive  Principi.es 

"The  Sun  of  Truth  is  the  Word  of  God,  upon  which 
depends  the  training  of  the  people  of  the  country  of 
thought.  It  is  the  Spirit  of  Reality  and  the  Water  of 
Life.  All  things  owe  their  existence  to  it.  Its  mani- 
festation is  ever  according  to  the  capacity  and  coloring  of 
the  mirror  through  which  it  may  reflect  .  For  example : 
'Its  Light,  when  cast  on  the  mirrors  of  the  wise,  gives 
expression  to  wisdom ;  when  reflected  from  the  minds  of 
artists  it  produces  manifestations  of  new  and  beautiful 
arts;  when  it  shines  through  the  minds  of  students  it 
reveals  knowledge  and  unfolds  mysteries. 

"All  things  of  the  world  arise  through  man  and  are 
manifest  in  him,  through  whom  they  find  life  and  develop- 
ment; and  man  is  dependent  for  his  (spiritual)  existence 
upon  the  Sun  of  The  Word  of  God.  All  the  good  names 
and  lofty  qualities  are  of  The  Word.  The  Word  is  the 
Fire  of  God,  which,  glowing  in  the  hearts  of  people, 
burns  away  all  things  that  are  not  of  God.  The  minds  of 
the  lovers  (of  God)  are  ever  aflame  with  this  fire.'  " 

From  the  teachings  and  lives  of  the  great  divine  teach- 
ers have  come  the  great  religious  movements  of  the  world, 
which  in  turn,  have  produced  each  its  own  evolution, 
advancement  and  civilization.  It  can  easily  be  traced  and 
seen,  that  "The  root  of  all  knowledge  is  the  knowledge 
of  God,"  and  that  the  "Divine  Manifestations  of  The 
Word  of  God"  are  the  sources  of  divine  knowledge  and 
spiritual  wisdom  that  stimulate  humanity  to  moral  and 
intellectual  advancement,  and  thus  they  are  the  qualified 
educators  of  humanity. 

Mankind  exists  approximately  upon  a  dead  level  for 
generations  until  a  divine  messenger  appears.     His  pres- 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  49 

ence  ushers  in  a  new  day  or  age  of  religious  enlighten- 
ment. Through  him  and  his  teachings  man  arises  to  the 
higher  spiritual  and  moral  level  of  the  new  age.  Then, 
after  centuries,  religious  decay  occurs,  until  another  di- 
vine teacher  appears  to  establish  again  the  true  spirit  of 
religion  which  has  been  lost  by  humanity. 

All  religions  teach  of  the  coming  of  a  great  divine, 
universal  world-teacher,  and  of  the  new  age  of  spiritual 
harmony  and  peace  that  He  will  inaugurate  among  man- 
kind. The  Christians  look  for  another  appearance  of 
the  Christ,  ''The  Word";  the  Jews,  for  their  Messiah; 
the  Moslems,  for  the  Mahdi  and  The  Christ ;  the  Zoroas- 
trians,  for  their  promised  one  whom  they  call  Shah  Bah- 
ram;  the  Buddhists,  for  their  great  Fifth  Buddha;  the 
Hindus,  for  the  reincarnation  of  Krishna,  or  the  great 
Avatar;  while  other  forms  of  religious  thought  hold  the 
hope  that  a  great  divine  master-teacher  will  appear,  and 
establish  Truth  universal,  in  the  world. 

As  one  studies,  and  delves  into  the  reality  of  these 
various  teachings  with  their  prophetic  writings  of  the 
"Promised  One,"  he  becomes  assured  that  all  these  many 
prophe<iies  refer  to  the  appearance  in  these  latter  days  of 
one  great  divine  teacher,  who  will  inaugurate  the  new  age 
of  spiritual  oneness,  brotherhood,  and  peace  that  the 
people  of  all  religions  are  expecting. 

This  new  age  of  spiritual  awakening  to  the  reality  of 
Divine  Truth  has  dawned.  The  teachings  of  Baha'o'Uah 
have  ushered  into  existence  a  new  spiritual  stimulus,  and 
through  the  spiritual  principles  embodied  in  the  religious 


50  Constructive  Principi.es 

explanations  and  the  life  of  Abdul  Baha,  the  world  has 
received  the  basis  of  the  life  of  this  new  day  and  age. 

In  speaking  of  this  great  world  master-teacher,  Abdul 
J^aha  once  said : 

"I.  That  Great  Master  will  be  the  educator  of  the  world 
of  humanity. 

II.  His  Teachings  must  be  universal  and  confer  illumi- 
nations upon  human  kind. 

III.  His  knowledge  must  be  innate  and  spontaneous, 
and  not  acquired. 

IV.  He  must  answer  the  questions  of  all  sages,  solve 
the  difficult  problems  of  humanity,  and  be  able  to  with- 
stand all  the  persecutions  and  sufferings  heaped  upon 
Him. 

V.  He  must  be  a  joy-bringer  and  the  herald  of  the 
kingdom  of  happiness. 

VI.  His  knowledge  must  be  infinite  and  His  wisdom 
all-comprehensive. 

VII.  The  penetration  of  His  word  and  the  potency  of 
His  influence  must  be  so  great  as  to  humble  even  His 
worst  enemies. 

VIII.  Sorrows  and  tribulations  must  not  vex  Him. 
His  courage  and  conviction  must  be  God-like.  Day  unto 
day  He  must  become  firmer  and  more  zealous. 

IX.  He  must  be  the  establisher  of  universal  civiliza- 
tion, the  unifier  of  religions,  the  standard-bearer  of  uni- 
versal peace,  and  the  embodiment  of  all  the  highest  and 
noblest  virtues  of  the  world  of  humanity.  Wherever  you 
find  these  conditions  realized  in  a  human  temple,  to  Him 
look  for  guidance  and  illumination." 

As  with  things  of  the  spirit  so  with  things  on  this 
earthly  plane.     The  Bahais  see  and  anticipate  with  the 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  51 

growing  spiritual  unity  of  religion  peculiar  to  this  newly 
dawning  age,  a  material  unity  of  religion  of  all  peoples, 
and  a  fusion  into  one  great  world-people,  evolving  and 
developing  toward  a  great  universal,  world  civilization, 
the  light  of  which  to  humanity,  now,  is  but  a  faint 
glimmer. 

World  oneness,  tranquility  and  peace,  and  the  adjust- 
ment of  all  conditions  so  as  to  bring  opportunity,  devel- 
opment, and  happiness  to  the  individual  and  to  the  mass 
of  humanity,  are  the  ultimate  objects  of  true  religion, 
and  the  Bahais  believe  that  in  this  new  age  these  ideals  are 
to  be  realized  by  the  power  of  God's  Spirit,  as  humanity 
manifests  in  the  universal  civilization  uniting  all  nations, 
races  and  religions,  the  constructive  principles  of  true 
religion. 


VIII. 
THE  MASHRAK-EL-AZKAR 


THE  MASHRAK-EL-AZKAR. 

In  every  age  true  religion  has  produced  certain  insti- 
tutions that  have  served  spiritual  and  practical  needs  of 
the  people  of  that  time.  Such  institutions  have  been  a 
material  expression  of  the  spiritual  quickening  and  of  the 
cementing  together  of  the  people  by  the  organic,  cohesive 
force  of  truth.  They  have  naturally  grouped  themselves 
about  the  places  of  religious  worship  and  meeting,  which 
temples  have  been  the  geographic  centers  of  human  prog- 
ress and  activity,  and  the  mothers  of  architecture  and  the 
other  arts. 

Throughout  the  years  of  the  earliest  prophets,  the  peo- 
ple led  nomadic  lives,  going  up  into  the  mountains  at 
stated  times  for  their  religious  observances ;  thus  the  open 
air  altars  on  the  mountains  were  the  recognized  religious 
centers  of  the  collective  life  of  the  people. 

While  the  children  of  Israel  were  migrating  from 
Egypt  to  the  Holy  Land,  the  tabernacle  occupied  the 
central  position  in  their  encampment,  and  later  on,  in 
their  capital  city,  Jerusalem,  the  temple  of  the  Lord 
crowned  the  highest  hill  and  was  the  center  of  the  intel- 
lectual, material,  and  religious  life  of  the  people. 

In  the  typical  Christian  city  of  long  ago  the  cathedral 
has  been  the  great  central  edifice  about  which  the  other 
buildings  of  the  city,  religious  and  secular  were  grouped 
The  religious  life  of  the  people  of  this  epoch  was  all  im- 
portant, and  this  principle  was  expressed  in  the  archi- 
tectural development  of  their  cities. 


66  Constructive  Principles 

The  temple  of  each  religion  and  civilization,  is  always 
found  to  be  the  focal  point  of  the  city  architectural.  The 
acropolii  of  the  Greek  cities,  upon  the  summits  of  which 
were  the  temples,  the  forums  of  the  Roman  cities,  with 
their  many  temples,  the  mosques  of  the  Moslem  cities, 
the  fire  altars  of  the  Zoroastrians,  the  pagodas  of  the 
Buddhists,  and  the  temples  of  the  Hindus,  all  testify  that 
each  religion  has  been  creative  of  its  own  art  and  civiliza- 
tion in  the  evolution  of  an  epochal  temple. 

As  in  time  past,  true  religion  has  been  the  chief  motive 
force  for  advancement,  learning  and  culture.  The  Bahais 
now  anticipate  the  day  when  the  great  universal  temple  of 
God  will  be  built;  the  result  of  the  spiritual  quickening 
of  the  people,  which  will  signify  and  further  all  phases 
of  universal  human  advancement,  spiritual,  moral,  and 
physical,  of  this  new  age  of  humanity. 

The  "Mashrak-El-Azkar"  which  translated  from  the 
Persian  literally  means  "The  dawning-point  of  the  men- 
tionings  of  God,"  is  the  Bahai  temple  of  worship  and 
service  to  humanity.  It  consists  of  a  central  building 
for  worship,  the  temple  proper,  surrounded  by  schools, 
hospitals  and  hospices,  homes  and  asylums  for  the  orphan, 
for  the  incurable  and  for  the  aged,  and  by  colleges  and 
universities.  The  temple  of  the  Mashrak-El-Azkar  is 
for  reading,  meditation  and  prayer,  not  an  auditorium 
for  preaching.  It  is  essentially  a  place  for  worship  and 
drawing  near  in  spirit  to  God.  Thus  it  will  be  a  center  of 
spiritual  power  and  attraction  exerting  a  divine  influence 
in  the  world. 


OP  THE  Bahai  Movement  67 

Its  many  surrounding  institutions  are  for  the  practical 
moral  and  physical  service  to  humanity.  The  Bahais 
appreciate  that  man  should  glorify  God  in  deed  as  well 
as  by  word  of  mouth,  therefore  this  principle  is  embodied 
in  its  fullest  expression,  in  the  Mashrak-El-Azkar. 

Some  years  ago  the  first  large  Mashrak-El-Azkar  was 
built.  It  is  located  in  the  city  Eshkhabad,  in  Oriental 
Russia,  which  has  a  considerable  following  of  the  Bahai 
movement,  and  where  the  Russian  royal  government  has 
been  friendly  to  the  cause.  First,  the  temple  proper 
was  erected,  an  imposing  structure  in  the  oriental  style 
of  architecture,  and  then  a  school  was  founded,  and  a 
hospice  and  now  other  institutional  buildings  are  being 
added  as  the  necessary  ways  and  means  are  available. 

Not  long  past,  the  friends  of  the  Bahai  Movement  en- 
deavored to  unite  in  establishing  a  Mashrak-El-Azkar  in 
America.  Contributions  were  received  from  the  far  parts 
of  the  world,  sent  by  persons  of  different  countries,  races 
and  religions  for  the  building  of  this  great  universal  tem- 
ple in  which  peoples  of  every  race  and  of  all  religions 
might  find  a  welcome,  and  worship  there  in  spirit,  and  in 
deed.  A  very  beautiful  building  site  at  Chicago,  on  the 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  has  been  selected  and  purchased 
and  it  is  hoped  that  sufficient  offerings  will  soon  make  it 
possible  to  begin  the  work  of  construction. 

When  this  Mashrak-El-Azar,  with  its  institutional 
groups  is  established,  it  will  be  as  an  ensign  to  all  those 
who  are  seeking  the  great  universal  spirit  of  religion,  and 
it  will  be  a  practical  demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  of 


58 


the  working  principle  of  service  to  humanity  in  the  Bahai 
Cause.  Resulting  from  the  united  efforts  of  the  friends 
in  its  erection,  the  completed  Mashrak-El-Azkar  will  be  a 
center  from  which  spiritual  illumination  will  radiate  and 
it  will  be  a  haven  that  will  attract  seeking  and  spiritual 
souls. 

Abdul  Baha  speaks  of  the  Mashrak-El-Azkar  in  the 
following  terms : 

"When  these  institutions,  college,  hospital,  hospice  and 
establishments  for  the  incurables,  university  for  the  study 
of  higher  sciences  and  giving  post-graduate  courses,  and 
other  philanthropic  buildings  are  built,  its  doors  will  be 
opened  to  all  the  nations  and  religions.  There  will  be 
absolutely  no  line  of  demarcation  drawn.  Its  charities 
will  be  dispensed  irrespective  of  color  or  race.  Its  gates 
will  be  flung  wide  open  to  mankind;  prejudice  toward 
none,  love  for  all.  The  central  building  will  be  devoted 
to  the  purpose  of  prayer  and  worship.  Thus,  for  the  first 
time,  religion  will  become  harmonized  with  science,  and 
science  will  be  the  handmaid  of  religion  both  showering 
their  material  and  spiritual  gifts  on  all  humanity." 


IX. 
AFTERWORD 


AFTERWORD. 

Were  religion  merely  a  matter  of  speculation,  or  of 
personal  preference  in  choosing  the  form  or  ceremony  or 
philosophy  that  appealed  most  to  ones  esthetic  and  intel- 
lectual faculties,  then  it  would  be  presumptous  in  the  ex- 
treme, for  any  man  to  assume  that  his  own  religion  was 
better  for  humanity  than  another.  But  such  a  premise 
assumes  that  religion  is  outside  the  realm  of  reality,  and 
is  only  a  matter  of  taste,  of  supposition,  superstition  or 
imagination.  The  Bahai  teaching  establishes  quite  the 
opposite  premise  and  proves  that  true  progressive  religion 
is  the  most  vital  of  all  realities.  It  is  the  fundamental 
spiritual  law  of  the  universe  and  the  source  of  advance- 
ment and  betterment  of  the  human  family,  and  therefore 
necessary  that  for  their  own  good  men  should  know  and 
practice  its  principles. 

To  believe  that  all  is  good  which  bears  the  name  of  re- 
ligion is  a  great  mistake.  Thoughtful  observation  finds 
proof  that  certain  teachings  produce  progress  and  bring 
good  results  both  to  the  individual  and  to  the  society, 
while  other  teachings  cause  retrogression  of  civilization 
and  morals  and  therefore  are  bad  for  the  world.  The 
preceding  pages,  bore  witness  that  the  time  is  now  here 
when  people  should  cast  aside  petty  personal  prejudices, 
likes  or  dislikes  and  should  consider  true  religion  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  moral  and  spiritual  motive  power 
for  constructive  advancement  that  it  gives  to  the  world. 


62  Constructive  Principles 

This  spiritual  dynamic  force  is  the  most  needed  of  all 
things,  in  the  world  of  to-day;  therefore,  in  calling  the 
attention  of  people  to  religion,  the  followers  of  the  Bahai 
Movement  are  doing  so  with  all  assurance  that  fair- 
minded  persons,  when  the  matter  is  brought  to  their  at- 
tention, will  look  into  the  teachings  and,  seeing  for  them- 
selves, will  accept  these  universal,  vital  principles  for 
human  progress,  recognizing  their  divine  source. 

It  has  been  explained  at  length  that  the  Bahai  religion 
is  not  one  of  formulated  belief  and  creed,  but  rather,  one 
of  universal  spiritual  principles  and  their  application  in 
daily  life.  Therefore,  those  who  are  assured  that  this 
movement  contains  within  it  the  power  necessary  to  in- 
fuse new  spiritual  life  and  energy  into  humanity,  are 
fearless  in  their  endeavor  to  bring  this  cause  to  the  notice 
of  all  thinking  people,  being  confident  that  the  unbiased 
mind  will  respond  to,  and  will  acknowledge  these  divinely 
constructive  principles. 

r  The  central  motive  power  in  the  Bahai  Movement  is 
the  source  of  its  strength  and  life-giving  spiritual  energy. 
This  central  motive  power  is  the  divine  mission  of  its 
founders,  the  fact  that  another  great  manifestation  of 
spirituality  has  appeared  among  men,  and  has  made  a 
new  contact  between  the  divine  and  human  spheres  of 
existence.  When  souls  are  in  contact  with  this  manifested 
source  of  illumination  they  become  quickened  with  a  new 
energy  of  The  Spirit  of  God,  and,  for  themselves,  they 
see  the  vital  essential  realities  of  the  religion  of  all  the 
human  past  and  their  value  in  present  world  problems. 


OF  THE  Bahai  Movement  63 

In  each  great  religious  cause  its  prophet  or  divine  mani- 
festation has  been  the  source  of  spiritual  quickening  of 
the  people.  Jesus,  the  Christ,  was  the  unique  source  of 
divine  light  in  His  day,  and  other  divine  messengers  like- 
wise have  illumined  their  people,  with  the  light  of  the 
spiritual  kingdom.  Through  spiritual  contact  they  in- 
spired a  new  awakening  life  in  the  souls  of  the  people. 

This  is  the  message  that  the  Bahais  have  for  the  world : 
That  great  spiritual  light  has  arisen,  and  that  a  new  center 
of  divine  bounties  has  appeared  and  is  now  in  our  midst. 
Through  the  light  of  God  which  He  brings,  the  power  is 
now  given  to  humanity  to  rise  above  its  past  conditions 
and  to  enter  into  that  state  where  the  Divine  will  guide, 
and  will  direct  his  human  activities.  The  mission  of  those 
who  have  found  this  center  of  spiritual  guidance  is  to  pro- 
claim to  all  people  this  coming  of  the  great  latter  day 
Messiah,  who  fulfills  the  truths  promised  in  the  Holy 
Books  of  all  religions.  His  knowledge  and  wisdom  are 
universal,  and  are  adapted  to  the  needs  of  one  and  all. 
The  truths  of  His  teachings  are  evident  and  manifest  to 
all  who  hear  them.  The  people  of  all  races,  nations  and 
religions  are  invited,  encouraged  and  helped  to  lay  aside 
all  religious  prejudice  and  to  study  this  matter  for  them- 
selves, with  the  assurance  that  they  will  recognize  the 
light,  and  through  it  be  led  to  God's  Word  the  source 
from  whence  it  comes.  Each  will  find  for  himself  that 
spiritual  assurance  and  peace  which  the  manifested  spirit 
of  divinity  gives  to  the  souls  of  men. 


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134  pages,  bound  in  paper.. $  .40 
Postage    5c    additional. 

Abdul-Baha's     Addresses     in 
Paris. 

Bound   in   paper $  .76 

Postage    dc    additional. 

"Divine  Philosophy." 

A  series  of  talks  and  addresses. 
Bound  in  paper,  single  copy.$  .60 

Per   dozen    6.00 

Postage  5c  additional. 


WRITINGS  BY  ORIENTAL  AND  OCCIDENTAL 
BAHArS 


The  Bahai  Proofs. 

By  Mirza  Abul  Fazl  Gulpaygan. 
The  best  known  book  of  this  great 
Oriental  scholar,  philosopher  and 
disciple  of  Baha'o'llah  translated 
into  English.  It  presents  the 
truth  of  the  Bahai  Revelation 
from  manifold  points  of  view,  and 
also  contains  a  biographical  out- 
line of  the  lives  of  the  Bab, 
Baha'o'llah  and  Abdul-Baha. 
288  pages,  bound  in  cloth. .  .$1.00 
Postage  10c  additional. 

The  Brilliant  Proof. 

By  Mirza  Abul  Fazl  Gulpaygan. 

A   scholarly   answer   to   an   appo- 
nent  of  the  Bahai  Cause. 
37  pages,  bound  in  paper $  .15 

The  Bahai  Revelation. 

By  Thornton  Chase. 

This  book  contains  a  most  ex- 
cellent compilation  of  the  teach- 
ings of  Baha'o'llah,  gathered 
from  various  translations  and  ar- 
ranged so  as  to  be  consecutive  as 
to  subjects.  Aside  from  this,  Mr. 
Chase's  argument  is  convincing. 
187  pages,  bound  in  paper... $  .60 
Postage  10c  additional. 


In  Galilee. 

By  Thornton  Chase. 

An  account  of  a  few  days  spent  in 
the     Prison    at     Acca,     guests    oi 
Abdul-Baha,  by  a  party  of  Ameri- 
can visitors  to  the  Holy  Land. 
84  pages,  bound  in  paper,  il- 
lustrated      $  .26 

Before  Abraham  Was,  I  Am. 


By  Thornton  Chase. 
16-page    pamphlet. 


$  .06 


The  Revelation  of  Baha'o'llah. 

By  Mrs.   Isabella  D.   Brittingham. 
An    interpretation    of    the    Bahai 
Revelation    griven    in   four   lessons. 
32  pages,   bound  in  paper... $  .10 

Bahaism:  The  Modem  Social 
Religion. 

By  Horace  HoUey. 

In  this  volume  the  western  sociol- 
ogist proves  with  brilliant  logic 
that  the  Bahai  Gospel  is  the  finest 
solution  of  the  social  and  inter- 
national problems  that  vex  the 
modern  world.  A  beautiful  in- 
troduction to  the  Bahai  Move- 
ment. 
223  pages,  bound  in  cloth. .  .$2.00 


WRITINGS  BY  ORIENTAL  AND  OCCIDENTAL  B AH AVS— {Cont'd) 


Martyrdoms  in  Persia  in  1903. 

By  Hadji  Mirza  Hayder  Ali. 

Being  the  accounts  of  the  sorrow- 
ful events  by  which  seventy  beau- 
tiful souls  added  to  the  number 
of  the  many  thousand  martyrs  who 
have  surrendered  their  lives  in 
support  of  this  Revelation. 
32  pages,   bound  in  paper...?  .10 

The     Bahai     Movement:     Its 
Spiritual  Dynamic. 

A   reprint  of  a   magazine  article. 
16-page   pamphlet    $  .10 

The  Oriental  Rose. 

By  Mary  Hanford  Ford. 

218  pages,  bound  in  cloth... $  .60 

Ten  days  in  the  Light  of  Acca. 

By  Mrs.  Julia  M.  Grundy. 

Ill   pages,  bound  in  paper.. $  .26 

Daily     Lessons     Received     at 
Acca. 

By  Mrs.   Goodall  and  Mrs.   Cooper. 
80  pages,  bound  in  paper $  .20 

My   Visits   to    Abbas   Effendi 

(Abdul-Baha)  in  1899. 

By  Mrs.  Margaret  B.  Peeke. 

An  interesting  account  of  her  visit 
to  Acca  and  subsequent  investi- 
gations of  the  teachings  of  the 
Revelation  of  Baha'o'llah,  pub- 
lished in  booklet  form  by  her 
daughter-in-law,  Dr.  Pauline  Bar- 
ton-Peeke. 
28  pages,  bound   in   paper.. $..15 

Unity  Through  Love. 

By   Howard   MacNutt. 

An  exposition  of  Bahai  Principles 
as  contained  in  an  address  given 
before  the  New  York  Assembly  of 
Bahais  upon  the  return  of  the 
author  from  a  visit  to  Acca. 
32  pages,   bound  in  paper... $  .10 

Table  Talks  with  Abdul-Baha. 

By  Mr.  and  Mrs.   George  T.  Winter- 
burn. 

32  pages,   bound  in  paper... $  .10 

My  Visits  to  Acca. 
By  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Lucas. 

42  pages,   bound  in  paper... $  .10 

Flowers  from  the  Rose  Gar- 
den of  Acca. 

By    Mrs.    Finch    and    Misses    Knob- 
loch. 

40  pages,   bound  in  paper... $  .10 


The  Bahai  Movement. 

By    Chas.    Mason    Rcmey. 

This  book  describes  the  principles 
of  the  Bahai  Movement  and  out- 
lines the  history  of  the   cause. 

Bound    in    cloth $  .60 

Postage  10c  additional. 

Observations    of    a    Bahai 
Traveler. 

By  Chas.  Mason  Rcmey. 

Treats  of  travels  among  the 
Bahais  of  the  Orient  and  of  the 
Teachings  from  the  viewpoint  of 
the  various  world  religions;  also 
a  brief  history  of  the  Movement. 
Has  12  illustrations  and  one  map. 

Bound   in   cloth $  .60 

Postage  10c  additional. 

Constructive  Principles  of  the 
Bahai  Movement. 

By  Chas.  Mason  Remey. 

A  booklet  containing  a  brief  sum- 
mary of  the  history,  institutions 
and  object  of  the  cause,  with 
special  emphasis  upon  those  uni- 
versal principles  for  world  prog- 
ress, religious,  social,  and  econ- 
omic which  are  foremost  amongst 
the  burning  questions  of  the  day 
now  uppermost  in  the  minds  of 
thinkers. 

Bound    in    cloth $  .40 

Postage  10c  additional. 

God's  Heroes. 

By  Laura  C.  Barney. 

A  drama  centered  around  the  men 
and  women  whose  heroic  lives 
first  revealed  to  the  people  of 
Persia  the  transforming  power  in 
the  teachings  of  the  Bab  and 
Baha'o'llah.  The  heroine  is  the 
poetess  Kuratu'l  Ayn.  The  volume 
is  beautifully  illuminated  in  Per- 
sian style.  The  proceeds  from  its 
sale  go  to  the  Mashrak-el-Azkar. 
106  pages,  beautifully  bound. $3.00 
Postage    15c   additional. 

Portfolio    of    Views    of    The 
Holy  Land. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Mt.  Carmel  and 
Acca. 

18   colored  sheets,   heavy   pa- 
per cover   $1.00 

With  portrait  of  Abdul-Baha, 
cloth  cover   1.26 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


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WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNIA  LIBRARY 


